Method of contact printing



Aug. 2 1964 J. T. ROONEY METHOD OF CONTACT PRINTING 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Original Filed Jan. 23, 1957 IN V EN TOR.

A TTOP/VEY JOHN T. POONEY United States Patent 3,146,103 METHOD OFCONTACT PRINTING .John T. Rooney, PD. Box 3284, West Palm Beach, Fla.Continuation of application Ser. No. 635,896, Jan. 23, 1957. Thisapplication June 18, 1963, Ser. No. 289,77? 3 Claims. (Cl. 96-47) Thisinvention relates to optical measuring or counting devices havingdesignated areas such as the types known as reticules or stagemicrometers, and especially those adapted to be used in conjunction withmicroscopes and known as stage micrometers and haemacytometers, or thelike, and also to new and improved processes for making the same.

This application, is a continuation of my application Serial No.635,896, filed January 23, 1957, now abandoned, which was a continuationin part of my application, Serial No. 245,353, filed September 6, 1951,now abandoned.

An object of the invention is to provide a new and improved opticalmeasuring or counting device, or the like, having reference linesthereon, which lines are distinctly visible when viewed through amicroscope.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved.optical measuring or counting device, or the like, wherein the referencelines, when viewed through the microscope, appear opaque or semi-opaqueon a transparent or semi-transparent surface or field of view. Anotherobject of the invention is to provide a new and improved opticalmeasuring or counting device, or the like, in which the necessity ofreference or division lines is obviated, and to new and improvedprocesses for forming the same.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved opticalmeasuring or counting device, or the like, wherein the reference ordivision lines are formed so as to be clearly visible and permanent andnot affected by cleaning of the device. Another object is to provide newand improved processes for forming optical measuring or countingdevices, or the like, having either opaque or semi-opaque referencelines on a transparent or semi-transparent background or bright anddistinct lines on a light transmitting, transparent, semi-transparent orcolored background or lines of desired color on a background ofcontrasting color.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings. It will be understood that many changes may be made in thedetails of construction, arrangement of parts and steps of the processwithout departing from the spirit of the invention as expressed in theaccompanying claims. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to theexact details of construction and steps of the processes shown and described, as the preferred forms and processes have been given by way ofillustration only.

Referring to the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top or plan view of an optical counting device of thehaemacytometer type constructed in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the portion of the deviceshown in FIG. 1 between lines A-A and BB and illustrating a step in theprocess of manufacture of the device;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but showing an alternate step in theprocess of manufacture of the device;

b FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2 but showing a further step in theprocess of manufacture of the device; FIG. 5 is a sectional view of aconventional apparatus illustrating one manner in which a metal may bedeposited by the sputtering of the metal from a cathode in a glowdischarge device;

FIG. 6 is a view generally similar to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 but showing oneform of the completed device;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken on line 77 of FIG. 6, looking in thedirection of the arrows;

FIG. 8 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 7, but showing a modifiedform of the device;

FIGS. 9 to 15 inclusive show new patterns for stage micrometers orhaemacytometers; and

FIG. 16 is a view similar to FIGS. 7 and 8 but showing a further methodof manufacture of the invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawings wherein similar referencecharacters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,the form of the invention shown in FIG. 1 comprises a plate or bodyportion 1 of glass or other suitable light transmitting material havingthe raised portions 2 each of which has a ruled or graduated area 3 andhaving the spaced elevated ribs 4 on either side of the raised portions2, which ribs are slightly higher than the raised portions 2 and adaptedto support a cover glass (not shown) which is placed over the specimenor object to be counted or examined, and provides a definite depth ofthe liquid such as blood which contains the objects such as blood cellswhich are to be counted.

While the entire surfaces of the raised portions could be provided withgraduations or rulings in the same manner as the areas 3, it has beenfound unnecessary to do so because of the limited field that can beobserved or viewed through the microscope.

The member and extent of the raised portions 2 may be such as desireddepending upon the use which is to be made of the slide or device.

The plate or body portion 1, While it may be of desired lighttransmitting material and color, is preferably of a transparent opticalmaterial such as ordinary colorless optical crown glass but might be oftransparent or semitransparent material of desired color so long as ittransmits sufficient light to allow the counting of objects placedthereon. Also, this body portion 1 could be formed of a colorlessoptical material with a film of desired color and transparency on eithersurface thereof, such as by spraying or placing thereon a colored glaze,the color of which might be chosen for the particular use to be made ofthe slide, for example, where the slide is to be used for counting bloodcells, the film thereon, or body portion itself, could be green in colorwhich being complementary to the red blood cells, the cells would appearblack thus facilitating the counting thereof. This coating or the coloror transparency of the base 1 or both might be such as to facilitate theobservation of subjects viewed.

To make my device, I first coat the portion 3 of the surface of theraised portions 2, which are to be graduated with a protective coating 5of a wax or other suitable material. This protective coating can beplaced only over the areas of the raised portions 2 to be graduated, asshown in FIG. 2, or can be placed over the entire surface of the raisedportions 2, as shown in FIG. 3, or, if desired, such a protectivecoating could be placed over the entire surface of the raised portions 2as shown in FIG. 3 and in addition thereto such coating could be placedover the entire surface of the body portion 1 or any desired portionthereof. In some cases this latter described coa'ting over the entireupper surface of the body portion 1 as well as the entire area of theraised portions 2, will be preferable, as otherwise it would benecessary to apply some other form of mask or protection to the exposedareas of the surface of the body 1 and portions 2, as will be apparentfrom the following additional steps of the process.

Next, by employing a sharp tool, such as the usual haemacytometer rulingmachine, the coating 5 of wax or other protective material may beremoved from selected portions 6, as shown in FIG. 4, Which are to formthe graduations or division lines of the finished device. The graduationmay or may not extend into the surface of the portions 2.

The body 1 may then be placed in a vacuum chamber 7 formed by a membersuch as the bell jar 7A which is removably sealed on the base 8 whichhas an opening 9 connected by the conduit 10 to the vacuum pump, or thelike, 11, adapted to exhaust air from the vacuum chamber.

Within the vacuum chamber 7 is supported the base 1 by the supports 12with the portions 2 and coated areas 5 with the exposed portions thereof6 facing the cathode or plate 13 which may be of desired metal such asrhodium or other suitable metal and which is connected to the conductor14 which extends through the bell jar 7A and is connected to a suitablesource of electric current. Also in the vacuum chamber 7 but beneath theplate or body 1 is positioned the electrode 15 which is connected by theconductor 16 which extends through the base 8 to a suitable source ofelectric current.

When current is applied to the cathode 13 and electrode 15 through theconductors 14 and 16, while there is a partial vacuum in the vacuumchamber 7, there will be a glow discharge between the electrode 15 andthe plate or cathode 13 and during this glow discharge there will be asputtering or discharge of fine or colloidal particles of the metal fromthe cathode 13 and some of such particles will be deposited upon thecoating on the plate 1 and some of such particles will enter theuncoated portions 6 and be deposited directly upon the plate 1. Thedensity of such deposit or film may be regulated by regulation of theduration of the sputtering operation or other suitable manner.

The film of the metal on the exposed portions 6 may be such as to besemi-transparent, semi-opaque, or opaque depending upon the character ofdivision lines desired.

Another process for making the device is through contact printing of thescale or checkerboard. While such a method for such fine work is notusually applicable or possible because of the scattering and deviationof the light passing from the master to the air film and again to theprint, in this case a glass negative, as a master, would be brought incontact with the glass or sensitized surface of another chamber for theprinting process, and immersion oil is placed between the surfaces topromote homogeneity for the path of the optical rays between the twosurfaces, thus avoiding any scattering or deviation of the light raysand ensuring accuracy in the print. This is believed to constitute agreat improvement in contact printing of all kinds where extremeaccuracy is necessary and in many cases permit its use where it is notnow considered feasible.

Other processes may be employed for depositing the metallic film on theexposed portions 6 such as chemical or electrochemical processes, or thecoating of such areas with metal which has been evaporated in a vacuum,or a flux may be deposited in such exposed portions 6.

The remaining portions of the protective coating 5 may, or may not, thenbe removed by means of a suitable solvent and any other masking materialalso removed, which leaves the coating material in the portions orpattern 6, adhering to the portions 2 of the base 1 and then by heatingthe base 1 to the annealing range, the deposited metal film 17 isabsorbed in the surface of the portions 2 or in the case of the flux,the flux is fused into the surface of the portions 2.

If it is desired to make opaque lines on a semi-opaque surface, a lightfilm 18 of metal is first deposited on the surface of the portions 3before applying the protective coating 5 and then after applying theprotective coating 5 and forming the lines or portions 6 through saidcoating 5, an additional film, sufficient to be opaque, is deposited inthe portions 5 on the first metal film from which the protective coatinghas been removed.

In the above manner a haemacytomer or the like can be produced which hassemi-opaque or opaque division lines on a clear surface or opaque lineson a semi-transparent or semi-opaque surface.

Instead of cutting the division lines 6 with a sharp tool or rulingmachine, as described above, the same construction could be accomplishedphotographically. In such case, instead of a wax protective layer 5, asensitized coating could be applied either directly to the surfaces ofthe portions 3 or over the metal film 18. An image of the desiredpattern for the rulings 6 can then be formed on such coated areas eitherby projection or a contact negative applied thereto, under suitableconditions well known in the photographic art, to produce the desiredlines or pattern in the coating after proper treatment so that themetallic layer or fiux 17 can be applied to the base 1 directly or onthe metallic layer 18 in the above described manner, where thesensitized coating is removed and said metallic layer or flux 17 can befinally fixed in the surface by subsequent heat treatment as alsopreviously described.

The use of the photographic process obviates the need for expensiveruling machines and attendants therefor with limited output and permitsmanufacture of such devices at considerably lower costs and with lesswaste from rejection.

It is also pointed out that by employing either the ruling or thephotographic processes described, a type of haemacytometer can be madewith bright or transparent lines in a semi-transparent or semi-opaquefield by first placing a removable coating on the base, removingportions of said coating corresponding to the graduations or referencelines desired, then placing a second removable coating of material,removable by a different solvent on the portions of said base exposed bythe removal of portions of said removable coating, then removing theremaining portions of said first removable coating with a solvent andapplying to the base a film of desired color or density and thenremoving the second coating by use of a solvent.

This type of construction can also be made photographically by employinga sensitized coating as the first removable coating and by projection orcontact printing forming the image of the pattern desired on thesensitized coating and then the process described above can be followedas respects protecting the pattern while treating the surface of thebase member exposed by the removal of the remaining portions of thesensitized layer.

The film over the portion of the base exposed by removal of theremaining portions of the first removable coating or sensitized coatingmay consist of a glaze of desired color or may be formed by sputteringor vaporizing metal particles in a partial vacuum as previouslydescribed for forming the graduations or reference lines.

Subsequent heat treatment may be employed to fix the coating to the basemember.

In FIGS. 9 to 14 inclusive there are shown a number of proposed patternsfor haemacytometers or the like in which divisions of a specific areaare alternately contrasting in intensity or color similar generally to acheckerboard. In these examples, since no lines are necessary, theprocess already described, particularly the photographic process arereadily applicable.

The pattern of such devices may consist of alternate squares, ofone-four hundredth of a square millimeter in area as with the Neubaeurruling or such areas may consist of small circles of such area.

In FIG. 9 there is shown a checker-boar type of device with alternatelight squares 19 and dark squares 20. This form has the advantage thatit obviates the necessity for lines or rulings altogether.

In FIG. there are shown groups of dark squares 21 on a light field orbackground 22.

FIG. 11 shows the reverse of FIG. 10, that is, groups of light squares23 on a dark field or background 24.

FIG. 12 shows groups of light circles 25 on a dark background 26.

FIG. 13 shows groups of dark circles 27 on a light background 28.

FIG. 14 shows a circular device 32 comprising a plurality of circleseach having groups of light circles on a dark background.

These light or dark squares or circles or other configuration may bedelineated in close proximity to one another and, if desired, severalmay be placed in a larger outline.

These arrangements would provide simple constructions which arerelatively economical to manufacture.

It is pointed out that another application of the dual coatingarrangement and method is that stencils could be employed for formingthe pattern. In the case of the small circles of one-four hundredth of amillimeter in diameter a simple stencil could be employed, but onecoating being necessary. Squares could be formed by employing a stencilwith lines in one direction only and then by turning the stencil 180degrees, lines could be formed in a direction 180 degrees to the firstlines. This would leave squares isolated and floating in a specifiedarea. If, however, a first coating be applied before stencilling thelines in one direction and then a second coating be applied beforestencilling in the second direction, there would result successivesquares as follows: clear squares 32, semi-transparent squares 33 andless transparent squares 34, the first or clear squares having no film,the second having one film and the third having two films, as shown inFIG. 15.

In FIG. 16, there is illustrated a contact printing method of making theinvention in which the glass negative 32a, as a master, is brought incontact with the sensitized surface on the base 1 for the printingprocess and immersion oil or the like is placed between the adjacentsurfaces of the negative 32a and base 1 and particularly in the recessesor depressions 33a formed in the master 32a. This immersion oil promoteshomogeneity for the path of the optical rays between the two surfaces,thus avoiding any scattering or deviation of the light rays and insuringaccuracy in the print.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided simple,efiicient and economical means and processes for accomplishing all ofthe objects and advantages of the invention.

I claim:

1. In the process of making a microscope slide through contact printing,the step of placing immersion oil between depressions formed in thesurface of the master and the surface on which the print is to be formedto promote homogeneity for the path of the optical rays between the twosurfaces during the contact printing to neutralize the effect ofscratches in said print.

2. In the method of forming the graduations of a microscope slide on asurface through contact printing, the steps of placing a contact printover the surface on which the graduations are to be formed, placingimmersion oil between depressions formed in the adjacent surfaces of thecontact print and the surface on which the graduations are to be formedto promote homogeneity for the path of the optical rays between the twosurfaces during the contact printing to neutralize the effect ofscratches in said print, and forming such graduations on said surface.

3. The process of forming a microscopic slide through contact printingcomprising forming a base member, forming a master, an image of which isto be reproduced on said base member, contact printing an image of saidmaster on said base member and placing immersion oil between depressionsformed in the surface of said master and the surface on the base memberto promote homogeneity for the path of the optical rays between the twosurfaces during the contact printing and to neutralize the effect ofscratches in said print.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,922,434 Gundlach Aug. 15, 1933 1,994,483 Ott Mar. 19, 1935 2,073,287Sandvik Mar. 9, 1937 2,389,504 Guellich Nov. 20, 1945 2,447,836 Beeberet al. Aug. 24, 1948 OTHER REFERENCES Wolbarst: Modern Photography, vol.18, No. 10, October 1954, pages 74, and 116-118.

1. IN THE PROCESS OF MAKING A MICROSCOPE SLIDE THROUGH CONTACT PRINTING, THE STEP OF PLACING IMMERSION OIL BETWEEN DEPRESSIONS FORMED IN THE SURFACE OF THE MASTER AND THE SURFACE ON WHICH THE PRINT IS TO FORMED TO PROMOTE HOMOGENEITY FOR THE PATH OF THE OPTICAL RAYS BETWEEN THE TWO SURFACES DURING THE CONTACT PRINTING TO NEUTRALIZE THE EFFECT OF SCRATCHES IN SAID PRINT. 